Monday, January 23, 2012

This pastrami sandwich was really tasty, but I have to confess I removed about half the meat before eating. We'll think of something clever to do with it as soon as the appliance guys are out of the kitchen later this week.The half sour pickle was a delight, coming across all innocent cucumber at first, and then killing you with garlic. And the cole slaw was so good, I wonder where to find the vial of happy drops they are surely adding.An East Coast deli on the West Coast. Nice, but not all that hard to imagine. You just imitate, exactly, the best deli you've ever had in New York. But the decor? Also imitating New York, or your version of it. Tile and Formica. Goofy artwork on the walls. No pretensions (except to be a New York deli).Look, guys. We all know we're in California. Couldn't there be a Wasabi Corner in the decor? A Shag You Conversation Pit somewhere? Tiki Tova's Pickle Hut?No, because that would just be pretend. Made up. About as original as recreating a New-York style theme park for your restaurant.I don't mind. My food was take-out, anyway.And it was really good.

15 comments:

Missed the crusty old-guy waiters and didn't need the music (REAL delis never have music) but I'll go back. And back. You're right about the pickles. I used the half-amount of pastrami from my sandwich added to scrambled eggs the next morning. Yazzuh.

Kudzu: Ha, that's exactly what we're doing with our leftover pastrami!So glad you like the place, because I have no deli heritage, being a West Coast Kid. To have you validate my taste makes me want to ride my surfboard over to Tova's hut.

My favorite deli is on Hayes Street, a bare bones place with a real crusty but with good heart New Yorker presiding over the counter. There's always somebody sitting next to the cash register, drinking coffee and talking politics with the owner. The decor is early modern Salvation Army with a dash of flea market panache but the sandwiches are to die for. I usually eat one half and take the other half home - for scrambled eggs like Kudzu or a "pastrami" salad with red onions, capers and a bit of sour cream mixed in the vinaigrette dressing.

Nancy: Yeah, Moishe's Pippic, right? Chicago style. I used to like going there too, but oy, Moishe can be a pain in the tush. In a nice way. Just too needy and nice.Your pastrami salad has me quivering! Such a brilliant thing to do.

Last year, I read an entire book about delis across the country, written by a guy who decried the loss of the real, traditional deli sandwich. What he was describing sounded a lot like the way your sandwich looks, obscenely rich and thick. Did they slice it with knives before your eyes? I must go and check it out, even if I know I couldn't fit my mouth around that.

Zoomie: The sandwiches are definitely made to order. Good service, but there's a crowd.No reason to wrap your mouth around an obscene pile of meat! Just take some out and bring it home with you.Thanks for the heads up on the link. I managed to fix it.

Little Pots: Sigh. I know so little Yiddish. Didn't watch enough Mike Myers on SNL.The kitchen. It's a good do-over, but there was no remodeling at all. We're just getting new shiny metal things.

Chilebrown: New shiny metal things. We got a way to go.I appreciate that you get my review. :)

Chilebrown: We been to Saul's plenty times. I like it. But the pastrami at Miller's is 21st century good. Clean, lean, fragrant. Not a fat pit with tendons and other strings, choked by a ring of thick pepper. Kack! Bread's good, too.

Ms. Mouse: That was a half sarnie right there, and I carved out half the meat. Decent lunch.Our rain was filled with wind. Sounded like someone was shoveling buckets of hot fudge against the bedroom windows! Slap, slap. Glad you have had some respite.

Who She?

I live a couple of miles from the Marin County Civic Center Farmers' Market, which feeds my little blogging hobby. Hell, it feeds me, too.
Formerly employed, I'm now a bum. Happy bum. Tomato ranchin' bum.
But I'm still mad.